.jpg)
This time of year is when employee appreciation becomes a bit more visible in most organizations. Depending on where you work, appreciation might become apparent as part of company and client parties, informally expressed during a holiday potluck with staff, woven into the year-end celebration of achievements, or tacked on to performance reviews or incentive structures. To be fair, few people bemoan recognition under these formats – they’re simply happy to be recognized (more on that in a moment).
However, there is reason to rethink employee appreciation when it gets routinized and becomes the fabric of perennial milestones that are baked into the calendar. Leadership might be missing out on what employees crave the most – appreciation that is timely, authentic and intentional.
In a Gallup analysis of employee recognition, it found that only one-in-three workers in the U.S. strongly agree they received recognition or praise for doing good work – in the last seven days. That timeframe is important, particularly for organizations that are defaulting to calendarized opportunities to show appreciation. This doesn’t signal a need to coddle employees, but rather their desire to be seen – and acknowledged – for doing good work more regularly.
To put urgency in context, Gallup’s analysis also revealed that employees who did not feel adequately recognized were twice as likely to say they'll quit in the next year. Conversely, employees who feel well-recognized were 45 percent less likely to have changed organizations after two years, which helps business continuity and retention strategies.
Employees are sending an unmistakable message: don’t wait to show appreciation.
But what kind of appreciation do employees truly value?
When appreciation is timely, authentic and intentional, it is not a costly effort.
Some might be surprised to learn financial incentives are not the top form of recognition, based on the research. Perhaps employees connect monetary incentives more closely with compensation and benefits packages rather than appreciation for good work, but here’s what they say matters:
- Public recognition among colleagues (acknowledgment and/or awards, citation)
- Private recognition by a manager, boss or company leader
- Recognition of good work that leads to a promotion and greater responsibility, while acknowledging trust in the individual
At Hyperquake, we have offices across the United States, which creates challenges for culture-building and coming together. While our annual State of the Quake is a significant touchpoint for everyone, we know that meaningful recognition cannot wait for 51 weeks until we gather again.
Here are a few ways we’re empowering our teams to make people feel seen and appreciated throughout the week – and the year – regardless of location.
- Live out what we value: Companies often take great care in crafting and revisiting their values, but if they aren’t lived out loud, do they really matter? When we align deeply with our clients and their work, we see our people living out brand purpose – our and theirs. One example is our recent work with Butterball, which inspired our team to help coordinate a food drive for families in need. Giving team members the time and space to do good and being acknowledged for it benefits everyone.
- Spontaneity beats formality: See the good, acknowledge the good – and the people who made it happen. It’s that simple. If you wait too long, you might begin to feel the moment is too small to act upon later.
- No act too small: A thoughtful, hand-written note. Genuine words spoken that acknowledge an element of the work or one’s effort. Often, we try too hard to align our thanks with outcomes. But on a personal level, recognizing one’s effort can mean more and far outweigh the magnitude of any result.
- Appreciation doesn’t require permission: If you want to share genuine appreciation and recognition, nothing should hold you back. One simple thing we implemented at Hyperquake is our “Hype it up” Slack channel – a place where people are encouraged to acknowledge others for doing great work.
- Extend the circle of appreciation: Over the summer, our brand team was swamped with projects. Appreciation for that season of work was given in writing, but also in the form of a hat designed by our design team. Including others in the process of recognition with their talent makes even small gestures feel more significant, personal, and connects us as a team.
- Appreciation also runs horizontal and diagonal: We tend to think of appreciation in a vertical and top-down manner. Yet for some of us, the most important gestures in our careers will come from unlikely places and people. Appreciation can and should come from anywhere – from a colleague, from a leader to an individual outside of their core team, and from employees to leaders above them and who might not manage them. We all appreciate being seen and recognized for our work, and recognition from unlikely places reinforces that we do not work in silos.
- Be on the lookout, always: For anyone who is a parent (or who has been a child), you know children desire affirmation when they do well. In that same sense, managers and leaders should be on the lookout to capture employees' “good-doing” as much as teaching, mentoring, and correcting. Small acts of kindness, be it a written note of praise, go a long way to feeling appreciated.
All of this is meant to supplement formal appreciation programs that are already in place, not replace them.
If you’re not convinced that appreciation can make a meaningful difference, consider a separate Gallup analysis that documents what employees need from their manager: job clarity and priorities, ongoing feedback and communication, opportunities to learn and grow, and accountability.
Given those needs, only 22 percent of employees say that their performance is managed in a way that motivates them.
Imagine what some timely, intentional, and authentic appreciation could do – especially when woven into the ongoing feedback and communication employees are already asking for. It’s in those regular one-on-one conversations between managers and their teams.
Managers should be in ongoing dialogue with each employee about what motivates them, what forms of recognition resonate most deeply, and how they prefer to be appreciated.
The best companies recognize that employee appreciation isn't a program you implement once and forget. It requires regular investment and attention. Leadership teams should revisit their appreciation strategies at least quarterly, assessing what's working, gathering feedback, and making adjustments as culture and team dynamics evolve.
During periods of significant growth or change, these check-ins become even more critical, and they're opportunities to step back and ensure your programs remain fit for purpose and continue to support the culture you're building.
Employee appreciation could be the easiest-to-implement strategy where you can immediately begin moving the needle.
Companies that consistently invest in authentic appreciation don't just retain good people – they create environments where people thrive, contribute their best work, and become ambassadors for the culture they've helped build.
.gif)
